FCB unrewarded despite impressive fightback

FC Bayern fell 2-1 to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday afternoon. Daichi Kamada and Amin Younes handed the hosts a two-goal lead in the first half. Robert Lewandowski pulled one back after half-time, but although Bayern laid siege to Frankfurt's goal for large spells of the second period, the men from Hesse clung on for a win.

The German record champions started with Manuel Neuer in goal and Niklas Süle, Jérôme Boateng, David Alaba and Alphonso Davies in a back four. Joshua Kimmich and Marc Roca anchored a midfield featuring Leroy Sané, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Kingsley Coman, with Robert Lewandowski up front. Leon Goretzka took over from Marc Roca at half-time, Jamal Musiala, Lucas Hernández and Javi Martínez coming on for Choupo-Moting, Coman and Sané in the closing stages.

Frankfurt in command

The first chance fell to Bayern, Sané firing wide, but Eintracht were the dominant side in the first half-hour. Alaba blocked a Younes effort before the game was interrupted for five minutes as linesman Mike Pickel sustained an injury. The hosts took the lead when a Filip Kostic cutback found Kamada, who slotted home from 12 yards. Another scare came when Younes spotted Neuer out of his goal, but his effort from the halfway line went wide.

Almamy Touré miscued, but just went it looked as if Bayern had taken control, Younes cut inside from the left and blasted into the top far corner of the net. Eintracht keeper Kevin Trapp saved a deflected Coman effort and denied Süle before parrying a Kimmich shot and stopping Coman's rebound. A Choupo-Moting back-heel went only just wide, Neuer denying Touré, and Bayern were two goals down at half-time.

Onslaught unrewarded

Bayern hit the ground running after the restart. Süle fired over the bar from distance before Coman miscued a header, but Sané sidestepped a number of defenders and invited Lewandowski to pull one back. Goretzka put two headers wide, Trapp proving equal to a Coman shot.

Süle fired wide, Goretzka saw an effort blocked and Musiala headed over the bar, but another goal just refused to come. Neuer denied Kamada before a Hernández cross evaded Lewandowski, and there was no reward for Bayern's fightback.

The result means FCB have 49 points from 22 matches, five clear of Leipzig, who take on Hertha Berlin on Sunday. The Bavarians will be back in action in just three days, when they travel to face Lazio in the Champions League last sixteen.

Live match report for fcbayern.com by Greg Salmen